Funds are requested for partial support of the 15th annual National Neurotrauma Symposium to be held in conjunction with the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, October 24-25, 1997. This two-day symposium will feature 14 lectures focusing on six main themes covering basic and clinical scientific advances and the study of traumatic brain and spinal chord injury. In addition, speakers will be selected from submitted abstracts on the basis of scientific merit, originality and relevance to the study of neurotrauma, Moreover, approximately 175 poster presentations will be available for viewing over the two-day period. The specific aims of the 15th Annual Neurotrauma Symposium are to: 1. Provide the most current information in neurotrauma research to both basic scientists and clinicians investigating and/or treating traumatic, ischemic and related injuries to the brain and spinal cord. Session themes include: (a) Recovery of Functional Reflections of Plasticity, (b) Measures of Recovery of Function: Animal Studies, (c) Developmental Effects on Recovery of Function, (d) Effecting Recovery of Function, (3) Effecting Recovery in Human Head Injury, (f) Multi Center Preclinical Designs to Foster Clinical Trials. 2. Encourage the interest of students, residents and postdoctoral fellows in neurotrauma research. 3. Develop strategies for increasing the participation of qualified women and minorities in annual neurotrauma symposia and research. 4. Encourage established neuroscientists from other fields to become involved in neurotrauma research. Thus, through formal lectures, poster sessions and informal discussions between individuals, the overall objective of this symposium is to promote and support communication among basic and clinical scientists concerned with the study and treatment of injury to the brain and spinal cord. Importantly, the program and abstracts submitted for presentation at the National Neurotrauma Symposium will be published in the Journal of Neurotrauma prior to the conference.